Vestments of the priest: clothes, hats, handholds, pectoral cross

The priest's vestments may indicate his position in the Orthodox Church. Also for carrying out of divine services and for daily wearing different clothes are used. Robes for worship are luxurious. As a rule, for sewing such a vest, they use expensive brocade, which is decorated with crosses. There are three types of priesthood. And each one has his own type of vestments.

Deacon

This is the lowest rank of clergyman. Deacons do not have the right to independently perform sacraments and services, but they help bishops or priests.

The vestments of clergy-deacons, who conduct worship, consist of stihara, oraris and guards.

The stihar is a long garment that does not have cuts in front and in front. A special hole was made for the head. Stihar has wide sleeves. This clothing is considered a symbol of the purity of the soul. Such a garment is inherent not only to deacons. A verse can be worn by the psalmists, and those lay people who just serve in the church regularly.

The orarion is presented in the form of a wide ribbon, usually made of the same fabric as the stihar. This garment is a symbol of God's grace, which the deacon attained in the Sacrament. The orarion is put on the left shoulder over the sturgeon. He can also wear hierodeacons, archdeacons and proto-deacons.

In the vestments of the priest also includes the guards, designed to pull together the sleeves of the sturgeon. They look like narrowed armlets. This attribute symbolizes the ropes with which the hands of Jesus Christ were entwined when He was crucified on the cross. As a rule, the bails are made of the same fabric as the stihar. They also feature crosses.

What is the priest wearing?

The priest's clothes are different from those of ordinary servants. During the service, the following attire should be on it: a cassock, a cassock, a bail, a legguard, a belt, an epitrachel.

The cassock is worn only by priests and bishops. Visually, all this can be seen in the photo. Clothes can be slightly different, but the principle is always preserved.

Cassock (subperson)

Cassock is a kind of surplice. It is believed that the cassock and cassock was worn by Jesus Christ. Such garments are a symbol of detachment from the world. Monks in the ancient church wore such almost beggarly clothing. Over time, it came into use and all the clergy. Cassock is a long, up to heel man's dress with narrow sleeves. As a rule, the color is either white or yellow. The cassock of the bishop has special tapes (gamma), with which sleeves are pulled together in the region of the wrist. It symbolizes the streams of blood pouring from the perforated arms of the Savior. It is believed that it was in such a chiton that Christ always walked on the earth.

Stole

Epitrahilya is called a long ribbon, which is wound around the neck. Both ends of it must go down. It is a symbol of double grace, which is given to the priest for conducting divine services and sacred ordinances. Epitrachel is worn over a cassock or robe. This is an obligatory attribute, without which priests or bishops are not allowed to conduct sacred rites. There must be seven crosses on each epitaph. In the order of location of crosses on epitracheal also a certain meaning is laid. On each half that goes down, there are three crosses that symbolize the number of sacraments performed by the priest. One is in the middle, that is, on the neck. It is a symbol of the fact that the bishop gave the priest a blessing to perform the sacrament. It also indicates that the minister took upon himself the burden of serving Christ. It can be seen that the vesting of a priest is not just clothing, but a whole symbolism. Over the cassock and epitracheli, a belt is put on, which symbolizes the towel of Jesus Christ. He wore it on his belt and used his disciples' feet to wash at the Last Supper.

Crayfish

In some sources, cassock is called a rhizome or felon. This is the priest's outer garment. The cassock looks like a long, wide sleeveless dress. It has a hole for the head and a large cutout from the front, which almost reaches the waist. This allows the priest to move his hands freely during the performance of the sacrament. Mantle of the cassock is hard and tall. The top edge at the back resembles a triangle or a trapezoid that is above the priest's shoulders.

The cassock symbolizes scarlet. It is also called the garment of truth. It is believed that it was she who was borne by Christ. Over the cassock the priest carries a pectoral cross.

The Legguards are a symbol of the Spirit Sword. He is given out to the clergy for special diligence and prolonged service. He is put on the right thigh in the form of a tape, thrown over his shoulder and freely falling down.

Over the cassocks the priest also puts on the pectoral cross.

Clothes bishop (bishop)

The robes of the bishop are similar to those of the priest. He also wears a cassock, an epitrachel, a bail and a belt. However, the bishop is called a sakkos, and instead of a legguard a mace is put on. In addition to these robes, the bishop is also clothed in a miter, panagia and omophorion. Below are photos of the bishop's clothes.

Saccos

This garment was worn even in the ancient Jewish environment. At that time the saccus was made from the grossest material and was considered clothing that was worn in tribulation, repentance and fasting. Sakkos looked like a piece of rough fabric with a cutout for the head, completely covering the front and back. On the sides the fabric does not stitch, the sleeves are wide, but short. Through the saccus, the epitrachel and the cassock are seen.

In the 15th century, only the metropolitans wore succos. Since the patriarchate was established in Russia, patriarchs began to wear them. As for spiritual symbolism, this garment, like the cassock, symbolizes the purple of Jesus Christ.

Palica

The vestment of the priest (bishop) is incomplete without a club. This is a circuit board that resembles a diamond in shape. It is hung in one corner on the left thigh over the saccus. Just like the legguard, the sword is considered a symbol of the spiritual sword. This is God's word, which must always be on the lips of the minister. This is a more significant attribute than the Legguard, as it also symbolizes a small cut of the towel that the Savior used to wash his feet to his disciples.

Until the end of the XVI century in the Russian Orthodox Church, the sword served as an attribute of only bishops. But from the 18th century it was given to the archimandrites as a reward. The liturgical vesture of the bishop symbolizes seven performed sacraments.

Panagia and omophorion

Omoghlor is a long ribbon of cloth decorated with crosses.

He is put on his shoulders so that one end comes down from the front and the other from the back. The bishop can not perform services without omophorion. It is worn over the sakkos. Symbolically, the omophorion represents a sheep that has lost its way. A good shepherd brought her into the house on her hands. In a broad sense, this means the salvation of the whole human race by Jesus Christ. The bishop, clothed in an omophorion, represents the Savior of the Shepherd, who saves the lost sheep and brings them to the Lord's house on his hands.

A panagia is also worn on the sakkos.

This is a round icon, framed by colored stones, which depicts Jesus Christ or the Mother of God.

The eagle can also be attributed to the bishop's vestments. The rug on which the eagle is depicted is placed under the feet of the bishop during the service. Symbolically, the eagle says that the bishop must renounce the earthly and rise to the heavenly. The bishop must everywhere be on the eagle, thus always being on the eagle. In other words, the eagle is constantly bore the bishop.

Also during the service, the bishops use a staff (staff) symbolizing the supreme pastoral authority. The archimandrites also use the rod. In this case, the staff indicates that they are the abbots of the monasteries.

Hats

The headpiece of the priest conducting the divine service is called the miter. In everyday life, priests wear a cloak.

Mitra is decorated with colorful stones and images. It is the symbol of the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus Christ. Mithra is considered the decoration of the priest's head. At the same time, it resembles a crown of thorns, to which the head of the Savior was covered. Putting on miter is a whole ritual, in which a special prayer is read. She is also read during the wedding. Therefore, the miter is a symbol of the golden crowns that are put on the head of the righteous in the Kingdom of Heaven, present at the moment of the combination of the Savior with the Church.

Until 1987, the Russian Orthodox Church forbade carrying it to everyone except archbishops, metropolitans and patriarchs. The Holy Synod at the meeting in 1987 allowed to carry the miter to all the bishops. In some churches it is permissible to wear it, decorated with a cross, even subdeacons.

Mitra is of several varieties. One of them is the crown. This miter has a crown of 12 petals over the lower belt. Until the 8th century, all clergymen wore this type of miter.

Kamilavka - headpiece in the form of a cylinder of purple. Scuba is used for everyday wear. This headpiece is worn regardless of the degree and rank. It looks like a small round hat of black color, which easily folds. Her folds around her head form a sign of the cross.

Velvet skull since 1797 is given to representatives of the clergy as a reward, as well as a legguard.

The priest's headpiece was also called a hood.

Black hoods were worn by monks and nuns. The hood looks like a cylinder extended upward. On it are fixed three wide tapes, which fall to the back. The hood symbolizes salvation through obedience. Hieromonks can also wear black hoods during worship.

Robes for Everyday Wearing

Everyday vestments are also symbolic. The main ones are cassocks and cassock. Servants leading a monastic life should wear a black cassock. The rest can be dressed in a cassock of brown, dark blue, gray or white flowers. Cappuccino can be made of flax, wool, cloth, satin, chesch, sometimes from silk.

Most often, the cassock is made in black. Less common are white, cream, gray, brown and dark blue. The cassock and cassock can have a lining. In everyday life there are cassocks that resemble coats. They are complemented by velvet or fur on the collar. For winter they sew cassocks on a warm lining.

In the cassock, the priest must conduct all worship services, except for the liturgy. During the Liturgy and other special moments, when the Charter causes the clergyman to put on a full service garment, the priest removes it. On the cassock, in this case, he puts on a robe. During the service on the deacon is also worn cassock, on top of which is put on the stihar. A bishop over her is obliged to wear different garments. In exceptional cases, at some molebens, the bishop can serve in a robe with a mantle, on which an epitrachel is worn. Such a priest's garment is an obligatory basis for liturgical vestments.

What is the significance of the color of the clergy's vestments?

By the color of the priest's garb, you can talk about different festivals, events or memory days. If the priest is clothed in gold, it means that the worship is held on the day of the memory of the prophet or apostle. Pious kings or princes can also be worshiped. On Lazarev Saturday, the priest also should be dressed in gold or white. In the golden vest, you can see a servant on Sunday worship.

White color is a symbol of divinity. It is customary to wear white garments for such holidays as the Nativity of Christ, the Presentation, the Ascension of the Lord, the Transfiguration, and also at the beginning of the divine service for Easter. The white color is the light emanating from the grave of the Savior at the Resurrection.

In the white garment the priest clothed himself when he holds the sacrament of baptism and weddings. During the ceremony of consecration, white robes are also worn.

The blue color symbolizes purity and purity. Clothes of this color are worn during the holidays dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos, as well as in the days of veneration of the icons of the Mother of God.

Metropolitans also wear blue robes.

In the crucifix week of Lent and on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Great Cross, the clergy wear a purple or dark red robe. Bishops also wear purple hats. The red color commemorates the veneration of the memory of the martyrs. During the divine service held at Easter, the priests are also clothed in red robes. In days of memory of martyrs this color symbolizes their blood.

Green symbolizes eternal life. The green robes are worn by ministers on the days of the memory of various ascetics. The same color of the mantle of the patriarchs.

Dark colors (dark blue, dark red, dark green, black) are mostly used in days of mourning and repentance. It is also customary in dark attire to walk in the period of Lent. On holidays, during the fast, garments decorated with colored trim can be used.